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What Ply for Ute Drawers? Thickness and Type
This is the most common DIY drawer question on ExplorOz, Reddit and the US overland forums. There's no single answer, because thickness, grade and joinery all trade off against each other and against weight. This guide covers what builders have actually found.
The short answer
- Carcass and drawer boxes: 12mm, properly glued and screwed.
- Any surface you sleep on, or that carries a fridge or heavy load over a span: 15–18mm, or 12mm with extra support underneath.
- Grade: match it to how wet the ply will get (see below).
Thickness: what builders report
- 12mm is the usual choice. 4WDing Australia: "18mm plywood is very strong, but its also insanely heavy… I prefer 12mm." It's strong enough when glued and screwed every 100–150mm with 40–50mm screws (4WDing Australia).
- Thinner ply can work on a deck that's well supported. An ExplorOz reply says "with 350mm centres, 10mm marine ply will be adequate", but warns that a thin deck can flex and bind the drawer (ExplorOz forum).
- 12mm can sag under full drawers. An NZ4WD builder found "when the drawers are full, the 12mm flexes too much" and said he'd build the whole box from 18mm next time (NZ4WD Magazine).
The pattern: sag is about the span as much as the thickness. Before going thicker everywhere, add a centre divider or a batten under long spans. Thicker ply over the whole unit adds weight you then carry on every trip.
| Part | Typical thickness | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Base | 12mm (15–18mm if it spans gaps over an uneven floor) | It sits on the floor or a false floor |
| Sides and divider | 12mm | Carries the runners; screw edges need meat |
| Top / sleeping deck | 15–18mm, or 12mm on battens | Longest unsupported span |
| Drawer boxes | 12mm sides; drawer bottoms can be thinner if supported | Weight saving in moving parts |
| Drawer fronts | 12–15mm | Takes the latch and handle |
Nominal and actual sheet thicknesses vary between ranges and retailers (for example 17mm vs 18mm), so measure your sheet before drawing the plan. The planner lets you set the thickness and recalculates the cut list.
Type: marine, H3, structural, non-structural
| Type | Where it suits | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marine ply | Open tubs, anything that gets wet | The top option, designed to get wet, but the most expensive (4WDing Australia). A Bunnings Workshop reply notes it's designed to be used with a fibreglass coating for full waterproofing (Bunnings Workshop) |
| H3-treated ply | Open tubs on a budget | Suggested alongside marine ply for drawers exposed to the weather (Bunnings Workshop, above) |
| Construction / structural ply | Canopies, wagons | Cheaper, with surface imperfections; "pretty good for water spills" (4WDing Australia, above) |
| Non-structural sealed ply | Sealed canopies and wagon boots | Cheapest. Prime and paint every face and edge. Regular ply outdoors, "even when painted, will usually only last a few months" before decay sets in (Bunnings Workshop, above) |
| MDF / particleboard | Nowhere in a vehicle | 4WDing Australia says not to build a canopy floor from MDF, because moisture will get in (4WDing Australia) |
Current sheet prices
| Type | NZ (per sheet) | AU (per sheet) |
|---|---|---|
| Non-structural 12mm (sealed canopy, wagon) | NZ$57.50 Bunnings Tigerply | A$46.00 Bunnings CUSTOMply |
| Non-structural 17–18mm | NZ$89.90 Bunnings Tigerply 18mm | A$71.40 (Bunnings AU CUSTOMply 17mm, special order, in-store only) |
| Structural 12mm | NZ$73.11 Mitre 10 bbi Plybrace F8 | A$71.10 Bunnings STRUCTAply CD |
| Structural 15mm | NZ$107.19 PlaceMakers bbi F8 | A$86.20 Bunnings STRUCTAply CD |
| Structural 17–18mm | NZ$110.61 PlaceMakers bbi F8 18mm | A$100.50 Bunnings STRUCTAply CD 17mm |
| H3.2 treated 12mm / 18mm | NZ$93.50 Bunnings IBuilt 12mm / NZ$130 Mitre 10 bbi 18mm | not in our check |
| Marine 12mm | NZ$185.96 PlaceMakers Meranti | A$97 Bunnings Marine AA (2440 x 1220) |
| Marine 18mm | NZ$269 Mitre 10 bbi BS1088 | A$155 Bunnings Marine AA (2440 x 1220) |
Prices from retail_prices.json, 16 Oct 2026. Several sheets are special order or click-and-collect only, and prices vary by store. Sheets are 2400 x 1200 unless noted.
No hoop pine sheet was found at Bunnings or Mitre 10; PlaceMakers lists IBuilt StrongPly14 hoop pine F14 15mm at NZ$146.05. Bunnings AU marine comes in 12 and 18mm only.
Joinery matters as much as thickness
"A huge part of the strength comes from how you join it all together, and what bracing you put in place" (4WDing Australia). In practice:
- Glue and screw: a flexible adhesive or PVA, plus nails and 40mm screws (Greysand Projects). 4WDing Australia recommends pre-drilled screws every 100–150mm (above).
- Rebates or dados: a GU Patrol builder routed slots 4mm deep x 12mm wide for the panels and used 8g x 32mm screws every 100mm (patrol4x4).
- Aluminium edging on exposed edges protects them. The NZ4WD builder fitted it with glue and stainless screws (NZ4WD).
Keep the weight in check
Drawer systems get heavy fast. 4WDing Australia notes many weigh "around 70kg unloaded" (source). Owner-built ply units are reported at about 45–55kg for a GU Patrol unit (patrol4x4) and about 65kg for a Hilux system with slide-out shelves (outbackjoe). To save weight, use the thinnest ply that works for each part, cut lightening holes in hidden panels, and use long heavy runners only where you need them (see drawer runners compared).
Finish
Seal before you carpet. Carpet stops rattles. The outbackjoe Hilux build skipped carpet on some panels to save weight, used outdoor decking oil on the ply, and a food-grade oil on the work bench (outbackjoe). Edge trim and latches: see drawer hardware.
Related
- Free DIY ute drawer plans
- Bunnings ute drawers shopping list
- Anchoring drawers and load restraint
- Canopy false floor